Method and apparatus for finishing the ends of cigars

ABSTRACT

Means for a cigar machine to provide multiple knurling operations on each of the head ends and for trimming the other ends of cigars being continuously transported.

United States Patent [1 1 Hollenton et a1.

[ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING THE ENDS OF CIGARS [75] Inventors: Frank Hollenton; William P. Park,

both of Richmond, Va.

[73] Assignee: AMF Incorporated, White Plains,

221 Filed: Feb.ll, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 441,689

[52] U.S. Cl. 131/29; 131/46; 131/93 [51] Int. Cl. A24c l/32 [58] Field of Search 131/29, 46, 83, 88, 89,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Rober 131/88 451 June 10, 1975 2,265,146 12/1941 Clausen 131/29 2,349,320 5/1944 Wheeler A, 131/83 R 3,237,628 3/1966 Riegger H 131/29 Primary ExaminerR0bert W. Michell Assistant Examiner\/. Millin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-George W. Price; Charles .1. Worth [57] ABSTRACT Means for a cigar machine to provide multiple knurling operations on each of the head ends and for trimming the other ends of cigars being continuously transported.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUHIO 1915 3,888,262

SHEET 1 FIG. I

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FWISHING THE ENDS OF CIGARS This invention relates generally to a cigar making machine and more particularly to that portion of such a machine which finishes cigars.

It has been found advisable when finishing cigars to knurl the head ends to seal the wrapper and binder relative to the filler. and to restore the shape of the head end. The other end of the cigar which will be lighted usually is merely trimmed as cleanly as possible.

Normally, cigars are positioned at a station where a rotating knurler is moved into engagement with the head end of the cigar. After disengagement of the knurler. the cigar is further transported usually past cutting means where the other end of the cigar is trimmed.

It has been found that stop and go transport ofcigars during making is inefficient and uneconomical, while multiple knurling operations provides much improved head ends. By knurling the head end of cigars while they are moving and combining the trimming of the other ends of the cigars while knurling, the knurling time can be increased without increasing the overall manufacturing time required.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide means cigars along a predetermined path. and to knurl the head ends and to trim the other ends of the cigars as the cigars are moving along the path.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing means with multiple knurling operations.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing means with a mechanism for supporting and continuously moving cigars during knurling and trimming.

And another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing means with trimming means having one or more blades rotating in directions so as not to tear the wrappers or binders at the trimmed ends of the cigars. The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from the consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood. however, that the drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

FIG. I is an elevational view of apparatus made in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken on line 2-2 and 3-3, respectively, of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the cutting means of the novel apparatus of FIG. I showing how the end of a cigar is trimmed by the cutting means.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of modified cutting means in four selected descrete positions showing how the end of a cigar is trimmed thereby. and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the cuts made by the modified cutting means when the descrete positions illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a turret is mounted on a shaft 2| which is rotatably supported by a frame [0 (shown in part) of cigar. and is con neeted to be driven by a power shaft II through preferably a 4 to I gear reduction 12 and a suitable drive means I3 such as a link chain as shown or a conventional gear train or flexible endless belt which are known in the art. The turret 20 is shown and will be described as having four cigar receivers RI, R2, R3 and R4. It should be understood that while four such receivers is preferred. the number of receivers is not intended as a limitation of the invention.

The turret 20 has a pair of spaced apart end plates 22 and 23 between which the receivers Rl to R4 are disposed in equally spaced series, and four cam follower means 27 rotatably mounted on end plate 22; each of the follower means being operatively associated with a different one of the receivers. Inasmuch as all of the receivers RI to R4 are the same as are the follower means 27, only one receiver and the associated follower means will be described in detail.

Each of the receivers RI to R4 is provided with a fixed jaw or saddle 24 connected at its ends to the end plates 22 and 23, and a movable jaw 25 supported on an arm 26. The arm 26 is supported on a pin or shaft of the associated follower means 27 which is pivotally mounted on the end plate 22, and is provided with a roller 29 which rides or tracks on a fixed cam I4 mounted on the machine frame It] and a spring means 28 which continuously biases the follower means 27 in a direction to maintain the roller 29 in contact with the fixed cam 14. Since it is desirable to lightly hold a cigar C between the jaws 24 and 25 at all times except during trimming when a more positive clamping action is required, the follower means 27 is of the type well known in the art which initially utilizes spring acting on the arm 26 to urge the associated jaw 25 toward the jaw 24 and lightly clamp a cigar C therebetween. As the particular receiver approaches the cutting or trimming assembly 30 as will be described. the cam 14 is shaped so that the cam follower means 27 will further rotate and. preferably through a positive interlock or positive engagement. additionally urge through the arm 26 the jaw 25 toward the jaw 24 to provide the more positive clamping action.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. I and 3, a knurler assembly 40 is provided at the end of the turret 20 opposite from the fixed cam 14. As shown, a tubular member 42 is freely mounted on the shaft 2i, and is provided with an enlarged plate portion 41 at its end closer to the turret 20 and with an annular track or groove 43 adjacent its other end. The plate 4] is provided with a plurality of pins 44 which extend axially therefrom into bossed openings in the end plate 23 of the turret 20. The pins 44 which are spaced from and are parallel to the shaft 2I, provide a driving connection which causes the knurler assembly 40 to rotate in unison with the turret 20 while permitting it to move axially on the shaft 21 between a retracted position as shown in FIG. I to an operating or knurling position shown in part in phantom.

A ring gear 38 is rotatably supported on the tubular member 42 between the plate 41 and the track 43, and is provided with conventional driving means 39 causing it to rotate. A plurality of knurlers or knurling heads 35 are mounted on shafts which extend through the plate 4] and are provided with drive gears or pinions 37 in mesh with the ring gear 38. The knurling heads 35 are each axially aligned with a different one of the receivers RI, R2, R3 and R4. It should be readily seen that the knurler assembly 40 rotates in unison with the tur ret 20 causes the gears 37 to revolve around the ring gear 38 which rotatably drives the knurler heads 35 on their axes as they revolve around the axis of shaft 21 due to rotation of the plate portion 41. Simultaneous rotation of the ring gear 38 by its drive means 39 in a direction opposite to the rotation of the knurler assembly 40 causes the knurler heads 35 to rotate at a sufficiently high speed to effectively knurl the heads of the cigars C carried by the turret 20.

With the receivers R1 to R4 in the positions shown in FIG. 2, the knurler assembly 40 is in its retracted position with the knurlers 35 axially spaced from the heads of the cigars C carried by the turret 20. To move the knurler assembly to its operating position, as shown in phantom in FIG. 1, where the rotating knurlers 35 contact the heads of the cigars C, a cam 15 is fixed on and is rotatably driven by the power shaft 11. A follower arm 16 pivotally supported or mounted at one end on the machine frame is provided at its free end with a roller 17 which rides in the track or groove 43 of the assembly 40 and with a roller 18 intermediate its ends which rides in the track of the cam 15.

The track of the cam is provided with an axial offset sufficient during each revolution to cause the follower arm 16 to pivot and move the knurler assembly 40 through a knurling cycle or from its retracted position to its operating position and back to its operating position.

Because of the reduction gears 12, the cam 15 and follower arm 16 will move the knurling assembly 40 to its operating position four times during each revolution of the turret 20.

With the mechanism as in FIGS. 1 and 2, the knurler assembly 40 is in its retracted position, the jaws 24 and 25 of receiver R] are open and receiving a cigar C from feed-in means F1, and receivers R2, R3 and R4 each are retaining a cigar C. As the turret continues to rotate, initial rotation will cause the cam followers 27 engaging the cam 14 to close the jaws 24 and of receiver R1 and open the jaws 24 and 25 of receiver R4 which releases a finished cigar C to feed-out means FO. When the power shaft 11 and cam 15 make one half ofa revolution, the turret 20 has made one eighth of a revolution and the follower arm 16 has moved the knurling assembly 40 to its operating position where the rotating knurlers are in contact with the heads of the cigars C held by the receivers R1, R2 and R3. As the power shaft 11 and cam 15 complete one revolution, the knurling assembly and turret 20 return to their original positions as in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that the receivers R1, R2, R3 and R4 have advanced a quarter of a revolution. This cyclic operation of receiving cigars C from the feed-in means Fl, knurling the head ends and releasing the cigars to the feedout means FO after the head end of each cigar has been knurled three times without stopping the moving cigars is continuous at the turret 20 and knurler assembly 40 rotate.

A cutting or trimming means 30 is provided on the same side of the turret 20 as the cam plate 14, and is positioned to trim the end to be lighted of a cigar C as it moves from the position of receiver R3 to the position of receiver R4 in FIGv 2. The cam plate 14 is so shaped that the follower 27 urges the jaw 25 toward the cooperating jaw 24 so that the cigar C is more firmly held by the receiver R3 during trimming as it rotates to the position of receiver R4 in FIG. 2.

The cutting assembly 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is comprised ofa bracket or support 33 mounted on the frame 10 of the machine which carries a pair of blades 31 and 32 rotatively driven by conventional drive means 34. As is particularly shown in FIG. 4 the blades 31 and 32, which extend across the axis 35 of the path of travel of cigars C, are rotated oppositely to one another and cut inwardly so they do not tear the wrapper or binder at the trimmed ends of the cigars.

An alternative cutting means may be provided in lieu of the cutting assembly 30. The alternative cutting means would be provided with a single rotatably driven blade 36 which is orbited in a path 37 in a plane corresponding to the plane of the blades 31 and 32 of the cutter 30. FIG. 5 illustrates the blade 36 in four descrete positions while FIG. 6 illustrates cuts Ccl, Cc2, Cc3 and Cc4 made by the blade 36 in its four descrete positions as shown in FIG. 5.

Although but several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: 1. A method of finishing the ends of cigars comprising the steps of continuously moving cigars along a predetermined path from a feed-in means to a feed-out means,

providing a plurality of knurlers for finishing the head ends of the cigars by knurling the end of a cigar a plurality of times by only one ofsaid knurlers as the cigar moves continuously along the predetermined path. and

trimming the end to be lighted of each cigar as the cigar approaches the feed-out means.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of lightly gripping the cigars moving in spaced series along the predetermined path, and more firmly gripping each cigar during trimming. 3. The method in accordance with claim 2. further comprising the steps of holding the cigars equally spaced while moving in spaced series along the predetermined path.

providing a plurality of knurling heads moving with the cigars as they move along the predetermined path,

maintaining each of the knurling heads in axial alignment with a different one of the cigars, and cyclically moving the knurling heads into and out of engagement with the cigars. 4. Apparatus for finishing the ends of cigars, comprisa continuously moving carrier means having a series of equally spaced receivers for movirig cigars from a feed-in means to a feed-out means,

control means causing each receiver to receive a cigar to be finished as it passes the feed-in means and to release a finished cigar as it passes the feedout means,

knurling means spaced from one side of and moving in unison with said carrier means,

cam means cyclically moving said knurling means into and out of engagement with the head ends of the moving cigars to knurl a plurality of times and finish such cigar ends, and

cutting means disposed adjacent to the other side of said carrier means opposite from said knurling means for the end to be lighted of each cigar moving thereby approaching the feed-out means.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, and said carrier means being a rotatable turret comprising a pair of spaced end plates mounted on a rotatably driven shaft,

a plurality of pairs of jaws forming said receivers,

one of said jaws of each pair being connected at its ends to said end plates, and

the other of said jaws of each pair being movable toward and away from said one of said jaws of the same pair in response to said control means.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, and said control means comprising a cam fixed relative to said turret and disposed on the side thereof opposite from said knurling means, and

a plurality of cam followers rotatably mounted on the end plate adjacent said fixed cam each being operatively associated with said fixed cam and a different one of said receivers for appropriately moving said movable jaws in accordance with the shape of said fixed cam as said turret rotates.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, and

a driven shaft upon which said turret is mounted,

a power shaft,

driving means connecting said power shaft to said driven shaft, and

said driving means including speed reducing means so that the turret is rotated by said driven shaft at a speed that is slower than the speed of the power shaft.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, and

said knurling means being supported on said driven shaft, and being coupled to rotate in unison with and to move axially on said driven shaft relative to said turret.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 and said knurling means comprising a tubular member disposed on said driven shaft having an enlarged plate portion at its end closer to said turret and an annular track adjacent its other end,

a plurality of knurling heads rotatably mounted on said plate portion each axially aligned with different one of said receivers, and

means for rotatably driving said knurling heads.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, and said driving means for said knurling heads comprising a driven ring gear rotatable on said tubular member and disposed between said plate portion and annular track thereof, and

each of said knurling heads being provided with a driving gear in mesh with said ring gear.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, and said cam means comprising a cam fixed on said power shaft having a track with a single axial offset per revolution, and

a cam follower engaging said tracks of said cam and said tubular member to cyclically move said knurling means.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, and

said cutting means being provided with a pair of blades rotatably driven in opposite directions to one another.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, and

said cutting means being provided with a rotatably driven blade which is simultaneously driven in an orbital path. 

1. A method of finishing the ends of cigars comprising the steps of continuously moving cigars along a predetermined path from a feed-in means to a feed-out means, providing a plurality of knurlers for finishing the head ends of the cigars by knurling the end of a cigar a plurality of times by only one of said knurlers as the cigar moves continuously along the predetermined path, and trimming the end to be lighted of each cigar as the cigar approaches the feed-out means.
 2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of lightly gripping the cigars moving in spaced series along the predetermined path, and more firmly gripping each cigar during trimming.
 3. The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the steps of holding the cigars equally spaced while moving in spaced series along the predetermined path, providing a plurality of knurling heads moving with the cigars as they move along the predetermined path, maintaining each of the knurling heads in axial alignment with a different one of the cigars, and cyclically moving the knurling heads into and out of engagement with the cigars.
 4. Apparatus for finishing the ends of cigars, comprising a continuously moving carrier means having a series of equally spaced receivers for moving cigars from a feed-in means to a feed-out means, control means causing each receiver to receive a cigar to be finished as it passes the feed-in means and to release a finished cigar as it passes the feed-out means, knurling means spaced from one side of and moving in unison with said carrier means, cam means cyclically moving said knurling means into and out of engagement with the head ends of the moving cigars to knurl a plurality of times and finish such cigar ends, and cutting means disposed adjacent to the other side of said carrier means opposite from said knurling means for the end to be lighted of each cigar moving thereby approaching the feedout means.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, and said carrier means being a rotatable turret comprising a pair of spaced end plates mounted on a rotatably driven shaft, a plurality of pairs of jaws forming said receivers, one of said jaws of each pair being connected at its ends to said end plates, and the other of said jaws of each pair being movable toward and away from said one of said jaws of the same pair in response to said control means.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, and said control means comprising a cam fixed relative to said turret and disposed on the side thereof opposite from said knurling means, and a plurality of cam followers rotatably mounted on the end plate adjacent said fixed cam each being operatively associated with said fixed cam and a different one of said receivers for appropriately moving said movable jaws in accordance with the shape of said fixed cam as said turret rotates.
 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, and a driven shaft upon which said turret is mounted, a power shaft, driving means connecting said power shaft to said driven shaft, and said driving means including speed reducing means so that the turret is rotated by said driven shaft at a speed that is slower than the speed of the power shaft.
 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, and said knurling means being supported on said driven shaft, and being coupled to rotate in unison with and to move axially on said driven shaft relative to said turret.
 9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 and said knurling means comprising a tuBular member disposed on said driven shaft having an enlarged plate portion at its end closer to said turret and an annular track adjacent its other end, a plurality of knurling heads rotatably mounted on said plate portion each axially aligned with different one of said receivers, and means for rotatably driving said knurling heads.
 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, and said driving means for said knurling heads comprising a driven ring gear rotatable on said tubular member and disposed between said plate portion and annular track thereof, and each of said knurling heads being provided with a driving gear in mesh with said ring gear.
 11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, and said cam means comprising a cam fixed on said power shaft having a track with a single axial offset per revolution, and a cam follower engaging said tracks of said cam and said tubular member to cyclically move said knurling means.
 12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, and said cutting means being provided with a pair of blades rotatably driven in opposite directions to one another.
 13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, and said cutting means being provided with a rotatably driven blade which is simultaneously driven in an orbital path. 